OC Sheriff eases access to concealed weapons permits

Susan Kushlin poses with a concealed-carry handbag that her company, Gun Girls, Inc., created for women that enjoy guns on October 21, 2013 in Boca Raton, Florida. ; Credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Orange County Sheriff Sandra Hutchins is easing requirements needed to obtain a concealed-weapon permit. The move comes one week after a federal appeals court ruled that urban communities in California were too strict in issuing such permits.

Now, local residents only have to say they need the permit for self-defense or personal safety. Before the ruling, applicants needed to show “good cause,” such as the need to carry large sums of cash or valuables, or people who could show proof of a mortal threat.

The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruling highlighted the differing practices in issuing permits between urban and rural areas. According to the Associated Press, the Sheriff’s office has received several inquiries from people interested in getting permits since the February 13 court ruling.

San Diego County, the defendant in the case, has until February 27 to appeal the decision.